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That hat Don Be, and what made him waver in

his first deterantic fish in the nor Gianettino, his enemy, of course, could not possess it; the

triumph of the day would then inure to the Spanish embassy, and Don

Bempo would come off conqueror That was indeed a very desirable object,

but--twenty ducats was still an enormous price, and was not at all

reconcilable with the recommended economy

At any rate he dared not buy the fish without first consulting the

major-domo of the duke

"You will not, then, sell this fish for twelve ducats?" asked Don Bempo,

just as Gianettino had unnoticedly approached "Reflect, man, twelve

ducats are a fortune--it is a princely payment!"

The fisherman contemptuously shook his head "Rather than sell it for

twelve ducats I would eat it ood Roeons for your pair of miserable ducats! Such a fish as this is too

dear for you; you Spanish gentle spectators "Gudgeons for the Spanish

gentleh-nosed faces and eer and wounded pride "I shall unquestionably

buy this fish," said he, "for nothing is too dear for my master when the

honor of our nation is to be upheld But you et the , and I will return with the twenty ducats for it"